The present invention relates to a multi-compartment spray dispenser with common pressurizer. In the prior art, it is known to provide a single container with a plurality of liquids to be dispensed. However, the prior art known to Applicant fails to contemplate all of the features and aspects of the present invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,009,342 to Lawrence et al. discloses a container having two sub-chambers and control means to determine which of the chambers is connected to the outlet nozzle. The present invention differs from the teachings of Lawrence et al. as contemplating a container having a plurality of sub-chambers that are commonly pressurized, but each of which has its own separate outlet nozzle.
Another known configuration consists of a container having a plurality of sub-chambers and a single nozzle, whereby liquid from a plurality of sub-chambers is mixed together and commonly dispensed. U.S. Pat. No. 3,581,946 to Meshberg, U.S. Pat. No. 3,862,705 to Beres et al. and U.S. Pat. No. 5,398,846 to Corba et al. teach this general configuration. The present invention differs from the teachings of these patents as contemplating a plurality of separate sub-chambers, each of which is permitted to dispense liquid contained therein through its own dispensing nozzle without any mixing of liquid with any other sub-chamber.
It is also known to provide a device in which a container has a plurality of sub-chambers, each of which has its own pump and a common actuator for the pumps, whereby movement of the common actuator causes simultaneous dispensing of liquids from different chambers. U.S. Pat. No. 6,082,588 to Markey et al. teaches such a configuration. The present invention differs from the teachings of Markey et al. as contemplating separate sub-chambers within a container, each of which is able to dispense liquid through a separate outlet without intermixing and independently of dispensing from other sub-chambers.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,152,431 to Gardner et al. teaches a pump apparatus for dispensing liquid from a selected one of a plurality of sub-chambers. Gardner et al. teach a single pumping dispenser and a mechanism allowing only one sub-chamber to be fluidly connected to the pumping dispenser at any one time, whereby a chosen sub-chamber's liquid is dispensed independently of other sub-chambers. The present invention differs from the teachings of Gardner et al. as contemplating a plurality of sub-chambers isolated from one another, but commonly pressurized, with each sub-chamber having its own outlet and nozzle.
Finally, U.S. Pat. No. 4,238,054 to Chen teaches a container including a common mechanism for pressurizing a plurality of sub-chambers and whereby a common outlet is provided for all of the sub-chambers along with control means controlling which sub-chamber is fluidly connected to the outlet to dispense fluid therefrom. The present invention differs from the teachings of Chen as contemplating a container having a plurality of sub-chambers that are commonly pressurized, but wherein each sub-chamber has its own separate outlet nozzle and may dispense liquid independently of the other sub-chambers.